The present invention relates to a fold-out camper to be mounted in the bed of a pickup truck.
Although many different styles of fold-out or collapsible campers have been designed for use with pick-up trucks, these designs present several disadvantages. For example, many of these campers, when retracted, extend beyond the bed of the truck and therefore affect the aesthetic appearance and aerodynamic qualities of the truck when the camper is not in use. Other campers, when retracted, obstruct access to the bed of the truck, preventing the truck from being used to transport other items when the camper is mounted in the truck bed. Another disadvantage of currently used campers is that the truck bed must be modified in order to mount the camper within the bed.
The present invention provides a fold-out camper which overcomes the disadvantages of prior art campers and presents additional improvements.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a camper for use with a pick-up truck wherein the camper is stored within the bed of the pick-up truck.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a camper for use with a pick-up truck which does not obstruct access to the bed of the pick-up truck.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable and retractable camper for use with a pick-up truck which does not significantly reduce the cargo area of the pick-up truck when the camper is retracted.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an expandable and retractable camper for use with a pick-up truck which does not affect the appearance of the pick-up truck when the camper is retracted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a camper for use with a pick-up truck which does not require modifications to the pick-up truck.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a camper for use with a pick-up truck which can increase the height of the cargo area of the pick-up truck.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an expandable and retractable camper for use with a pick-up truck which does not affect the aerodynamic features of the pick-up truck when the camper is retracted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a camper for use with a pick-up truck which can be easily mounted in and dismounted from the bed of the pick-up truck.
Briefly, and in accordance with the forgoing, a camper is provided which can be contained and stored within the bed of a pick-up truck. The camper is supported by a frame which is mounted in the bed of the pick-up truck. The frame is mounted near the perimeter of the pick-up truck bed and over the wheel wells. The camper can be expanded to provide shelter and additional workspace. The camper can be retracted within the bed of the pick-up truck for storage and transportation.
A conventional cover is used as the roof of the camper. When the camper is retracted, the camper is entirely concealed within the bed of the pick-up truck. The camper does not significantly impact the cargo area available for transporting item in the pick-up bed. When extended, the camper provides convenient shelter for camping or working, for example.
With the camper partially extended, the height of the cargo area is increased for the transportation of larger items. In addition, the roof of the camper, in connection with the roof of the pick-up truck, can be used for transporting items which are too long to fit within the cargo area of the pick-up truck bed.
The camper can be easily mounted in or dismounted from the bed of the pick-up without requiring any modifications to the pick-up truck. In addition, the camper does not require use of the side walls of the truck bed for support.